Mitchell Denker died on Saturday, August 24 2013 in Leland, North Carolina. Mitchell's father was two-time US Champion and Grandmaster Arnold Denker (1914-2005). Mitchell honored his father's memory with continual support for the Denker, which was founded in 1985.

His good friend, Barbara DeMaro of the US Chess Trust (where Mitchell served as a trustee) was pictured with Mitchell at the most recent edition of the Denker in Madison, Wisconsin. Barbara said:

"Mitchell was full of life, brilliant, kind, witty and generous! Mitchell truly cared about each and every one of the Denker participants. At the opening ceremony every year, as he greeted each participant, took their flag, he would say something funny or interesting to them that made them smile or laugh. I have lost a very, very dear friend and will miss him more than you know."

When asked about his passion for the Denker tournament of high school champions, Mitchell said, "I shared my father’s enthusiasm for helping young players. When my father asked me to keep the tournament going after him, I agreed. My son, Dylan, has also agreed to keep it going after me." You can find the full interview with Mitchell on the Denker website.